A TECHNICAL REPORT

ON THE

STUDENT INDUSTRIAL WORK EXPERIENCE SCHEME (SIWES II)

UNDERTAKEN AT

ARNERGY SOLAR LTD

1A, INDUSTRIAL AVENUE, ILUPEJU, LAGOS

BY:

BOLUWATIFE ADEDIJI

EEG/2016/107

SUBMITTED TO

THE SIWES COORDINATOR

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRONIC AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

OBAFEMI AWOLOWO UNIVERSITY, ILE-IFE, OSUN STATE

IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (B.Sc.) DEGREE IN

ELECTRONIC AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

JANUARY 2022
 Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering,

Obafemi Awolowo University,

Ile-Ife,

Osun State.

24th January, 2022.

Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering,

Obafemi Awolowo University,

Ile-Ife.

Dear Sir,

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL

In partial fulfilment of the requirement for the award of Bachelor of Science degree in Electronic

and Electrical Engineering. I, ADEDIJI Boluwatife Adedamola with matriculation number,

(EEE/2016/107), hereby Submit for grading, the report for the Students’ Industrial Work

Experience Scheme II (SIWES II) – EEE400 undertaken at Arnergy Solar Ltd, from 12th July,

2021 to 23rd December, 2021.

Yours faithfully,

-----------------------------------

ADEDIJI Boluwatife Adedamola

EEE/2016/107

ii
 DEDICATION

I dedicate my report to Almighty God, who has bestowed His blessing, persistence, wisdom, and

favour onto me before, during, and after my Industrial training. Also, I would like to thank my

parents and siblings for their unwavering support and prayers.

iii
 CERTIFICATION

This is to certify that this report of valuation was carried out at ARNERGY SOLAR LIMITED,

Town Planning Way, Ilupeju, Opposite PZ, Lagos by ADEDIJI Boluwatife Adedamola with

matric No EEG/2016/107, department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Obafemi

Awolowo University, Ile-Ife , Osun State.

____________________ _______________

Industry based Supervisor Date/Signature

____________________ _______________

Institution based supervisor Date/Signature

____________________ ______________

Student Name Date/Signature

iv
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to thank the Almighty God for his grace and mercies ensuring the successful

completion of my Industrial Training. I am indeed grateful for the great opportunity given to me

by the management and staff of Arnergy Solar to explore the basics of Embedded Systems

Engineering.

My sincere appreciation goes to my parents, Mr and Mrs Adediji for their continued support and

guidance throughout my life and throughout this particular training period. I also appreciate my

siblings for their support and words of encouragement.

My utmost gratitude and acknowledgement go to all the members of the service and business

development teams, as well as the management of Arnergy Solar ltd, for giving me such a

wonderful experience, learning and otherwise, during my six months training, including Mr Femi

Adeyemo, Mrs Ololade George-Aremu, Mr Olusola, Mr Taiwo Idowu, Mr Oloche Lawrence, Mr

Moses Okafor, Mr Toyyib Olalekan, Mr Saheed Azeez amongst many others.

I would like to especially thank Mr Michael Verrissimo for teaching me so much not just about

Embedded Systems Engineering, but showing me engineering and life in a new light by

constantly engaging me in engineering tasks and brainstorming sessions around the office to fix a

problem. I would like to express my gratitude to Oriola Okikijesu and Similoluwa Okunowo, my

fellow IT students at Arnergy Solar for the company and competitive spirit provided which

helped me to grow and learn more.

Finally, I would like to extend my gratitude to all my lecturers in the Department of Electrical

and Electronics Engineering, Obafemi Awolowo University, for the knowledge imparted so far

and still to be imparted, as well as to the Federal Government of Nigeria, I.T.F., and SIWES for

the prospect to acquire relevant work experience as a foundation for our future careers.

v
 ABSTRACT

The aim of this report is to provide a detailed summary of knowledge, work experiences and

practical skills during my Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) program at

Arnergy Solar.

During the course of my internship in the Embedded Systems Engineering Department, I gained

a deep understanding of the basics of embedded engineering and the key features as to why it

makes the world better. I learnt about the process involved in embedded systems. Ranging from

the design of schematics, the different components used in embedded systems and their uses. I

gained cognizance about the instruments and technologies both hardware and software involved

in embedded systems. I also got to work with different software for the design and building of

PCBs for embedded systems.

As an interning embedded systems engineer, I got to work with the EMS (Energy Management

System) IoT(Internet of Things) boards used by the company, understanding how it works, fixing

problems on the boards, testing them and ensuring they work perfectly. I also got to assist the

other departments such as the Manufacturing team in various capacities in assembling the solar

systems.

Outside of office work, I was also privileged to go to clients' facilities whenever issues came up,

and I was privileged to get first-hand experience in diagnosing the problems as well as

eventually solving them.

Finally, this report justifies the relevance of the SIWES scheme in equipping students with the

needed technical competence to thrive in the real world. The goals of SIWES, an initiative

created to bridge the gap between theoretical and practical knowledge was successfully achieved

during my industrial training with Arnergy Solar ltd.

vi
TABLE OF CONTENT

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL …………………………………………………………… ii

DEDICATION …………………………………………………………………………….... iii

CERTIFICATION …………………………………………………………………………. iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT………………………………………………………………….. v

ABSTRACT …………………………………………………………………………………. vi

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ...…………………………………………………… 10

1.1 INTRODUCTION TO SIWES ...…………………………………………….. 10

1.2 HISTORY OF ITF …………………………………………………………… 11

1.3 ORGANISATION INVOLVED IN THE MANAGEMENT OF SIWES …… 12

1.4 OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE OF SIWES IN NIGERIA …………………….. 13

1.5 ABOUT ARNERGY SOLAR LTD ………………………………………….. 14

1.6 ARNERGY’S MISSION ……………………………………………..……… 15

1.7 ARNERGY’S VISION ………………………………………………………. 15

1.8 ARNERGY’S CORE VALUES ……………………………………………… 16

1.9 OBJECTIVES OF ARNERGY SOLAR LTD ……………………………….. 17

1.10 ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE OF ARNERGY SOLAR LTD……….. 17

CHAPTER TWO: COMPANY OPERATIONS ………………………………………….. 19

2.1 PRODUCTS AND SOLUTIONS OF ARNERGY ………………………….. 19

2.2 BUSINESS DIVISIONS IN ARNERGY ……………………………………. 25

CHAPTER THREE: MAJOR EQUIPMENT AND TOOLS …………………………….. 28

3.1. ALPHA ESS BATTERY M48112-P ………………………………………….. 28

3.2 INVERTER ……………………………………………………………………. 32

vii
 3.2.1 VOLTRONIC AXPERT INVERTER ………………………………. 33

3.2.2 DEYE INVERTER ………………………………………………….. 34

3.3 MPPT CHARGE CONTROLLER ………………………………………….. 39

3.4 FAN ………………………………………………………………………….. 41

3.5 IOT BASED EMS BOARD …………………………………………………. 43

3.5.1 STM32F407 ………………………………………………………….. 44

3.6 SOLARBASE ………………………………………………………...……… 45

CHAPTER FOUR: TECHNICAL EXPERIENCE ………………………………………. 46

4.1 EMBEDDED SYSTEM ENGINEERING ..…………………………………. 46

4.1.1 EMBEDDED SYSTEM SOFTWARE………………………………… 47

4.1.2 EMBEDDED SYSTEM HARDWARE ………………………………. 48

4.2 WORK COMPLETED ON MICROCONTROLLER BOARDS ………….… 57

4.3 SOLDERING ………………………………………………………………… 58

4.4 SURFACE MOUNT TECHNOLOGY AND SURFACE

MOUNT DEVICES ………………………………………………………….. 59

4.5 COMMUNICATION PROTOCOLS ………………………………………… 61

4.5.1 RS232 ………………………………………………………………… 61

4.5.2 UART (UNIVERSAL ASYNCHRONOUS

RECEIVER TRANSMITTER)............................................................. 62

4.6 ARDOVA PROJECT ………………………………………………………… 63

4.6.1 PURPOSE ……………………………………………………………. 64

4.6.2 TEST EQUIPMENT ………………………………………………….. 64

4.6.3 TEST SYSTEM SETUP/CONFIGURATION ……………………….. 64

viii
 4.6.4 BLOCK DIAGRAM ………………………………………………… 65

4.6.5 TEST NOTES ……………………………………………………….. 65

4.6.6 RESULT ……………………………………………………………… 66

4.6.7 CONCLUSION ………………………………………………………… 66

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION ………. 68

5.1 SUMMARY …………………………………………………………………… 68

5.2 RELEVANCE OF EXPERIENCE TO COURSE OF STUDY ……………….. 69

5.3 CONCLUSION ……………………………………………………………….. 70

5.4 RECOMMENDATION ……………………………………………………….. 7

ix
 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1. INTRODUCTION TO SIWES

The Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES), also known as Industrial Training is a

compulsory skills training programme designed to expose and prepare students of Nigerian

Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education, Colleges of Technology and Colleges of

Agriculture, for the industrial work situation they are likely to meet after graduation.

The scheme also affords students the opportunity of familiarising and exposing themselves to the

needed experience in handling equipment and machinery that are usually not available in their

institution[8].

Before the establishment of the scheme, there was a growing concern among industrialists, that

graduates of institutions of higher learning lacked adequate practical background studies

preparatory for employment in industries. Thus, employers were of the opinion that the

theoretical education in higher institutions was not responsive to the needs of the employers of

labour.

SIWES introduction, initiation and design was done by the Industrial Training Fund (I.T.F) in

1993 to acquaint students with the skills of handling employer’s equipment and machinery.

The Industrial Training Fund (I.T.F) solely funded the scheme during its formative years.

However, due to financial constraints, the fund withdrew from the scheme in 1978.

The Federal Government, noting the significance of the skills training, handed the management

of the scheme to both the National Universities Commission (N.U.C) and the National Board for

Technical Education (N.B.T.E) in 1979.

10
The management and implementation of the scheme were however reverted to the I.T.F by the

Federal Government in November 1984 and the administration was effectively taken over by the

Industrial Training Fund in July 1985, with the funding solely borne by the Federal Government.

SIWES is the accepted skills training program designed to prepare students of universities and

other tertiary institutions for the Industrial Work situation they are likely to meet after

graduation. It is a planned and structured program that is part of the approved

MinimumAcademic Standard in the various degree programs for all Nigerian Universities and is

geared towards developing the occupational competency of participants.

It is a compulsory graduation requirement aimed at bridging the existing gap between theory and

practice for all Nigerian university students in certain disciplines such as engineering, medical

sciences, agriculture, education, environmental sciences, applied science and information and

Communication Technology. The duration of the program is six months for universities, and a

year for colleges and polytechnics.

1.2. HISTORY OF ITF

The Industrial Training Fund, which was established in 1971, has functioned continuously and

methodically within the framework of its enabling legislation, Decree 47 of 1971, as amended in

the 2011 ITF ACT. The goal for which the Fund was founded has been aggressively and

effectively pursued. The ITF has promoted training awareness in the economy and also aided in

the generation of a corps of competent indigenous labour that has been staffing and managing

diverse sectors of the national economy for the past four decades.

In order to satisfy the rising and changing demands for qualified workers in the economy, the

ITF has extended its structures, implemented training programs, revised its strategies, operations,

11
and services throughout time, in accordance with its statutory responsibilities. The ITF began as

a parastatal "B" in 1971, with a Director as the Chief Executive, and then became a parastatal

"A" in 1981, with a Director-General as the Chief Executive under the Ministry of Industry's

jurisdiction. The Fund is governed by a 13-member Governing Council and contains 14

departments and two units at its headquarters, as well as 40 area offices, four skills training

centres, and a Centre for Industrial Training Excellence.

1.3. ORGANISATIONS INVOLVED IN THE MANAGEMENT OF SIWES

The Federal Government, the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), the Supervising Agency, National

Universities Commission, NUC, Employers of labour and Institutions have specific roles to play

in the management of SIWES[9]. The roles are:

1. The Federal Government

● To provide adequate funds to the ITF through the Federal Ministry of Industry for the

scheme;

● To make it mandatory for all ministries, companies and parastatals to offer places to

students in accordance with the provisions of Decree No. 47 of 1971 as amended in 1990;

● Formulate policies to guide the running of the scheme nationally.

2. The Industrial Training Fund (ITF). This agency is to:

● Formulate policies and guidelines on SIWES for distribution to all the SIWES

participating bodies;

● Provide logistic material needed to administer the scheme;

● Organise orientation programmes for students prior to attachment;

12
 ● Provide information on companies for attachment and assist in the industrial placement of

students;

● Supervise students on Industrial attachment;

● Accept and process Master and Placement lists from institutions and supervising

agencies;

● Vet and process students’ logbooks and ITF Form 8.

3. The Supervisory Agencies (NUC, NABTEB, etc)

The NUC is to:

● To ensure the establishment and accreditation of SIWES unit/Directorate in institutions

under their jurisdiction;

● To vet and approve Master and Placement lists of students from participating institutions

and forward same to ITF;

● Fund SIWES Directorate adequately in participating institutions;

● To direct for the appointment of full-time SIWES Coordinator/Director;

● Review programmes qualified from SIWES regularly;

● Participate in the Biennial SIWES conferences and seminars in conjunction with ITF.

1.4. OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE OF SIWES IN NIGERIA

● Provides the avenue for students in institutions of higher learning to acquire industrial

skills and experiences in their course of study.

● Prepare the students for the industrial work situation they’re likely to meet after

graduation.

13
 ● Expose students to work methods and techniques in handling equipment and machinery

that may not be available in their institutions.

● Make the transition from school to the world of work easier and enhance students' contact

for later job placement.

● Provides students with an opportunity to apply their knowledge in real work situations

thereby bridging the gap between theory and practice.

● Enlist and strengthen employers’ involvement in the entire educational process and

prepare students for employment after graduation.

1.5. ABOUT ARNERGY SOLAR LTD

The inconsistency of electricity, the unstable national grid, and the energy shortage across the

value chain are all major concerns in Nigeria. Nigerians have been using diesel generators for a

long time and have become accustomed to them.

Arnergy intends to solve this by accelerating the adoption of renewable energy solutions.

Prioritising consumer education and providing resources that enable a seamless conversion that

will help in creating brand awareness and product adoption will determine our success[1].

Arnergy was founded in August 2013 by entrepreneur and visionary Femi Adeyemo in just his

living room. He has always been an advocate of solar energy and its advantages even before he

started the company. He has the vision to provide clean and sustainable energy to SMEs, Small

scale businesses, Homes and offices across Nigeria and Africa at large[2].

In 2014, Arnergy deployed its first system since the conception of the company. It was for a

residential purpose and it was such a success story because that is where the company grew

from[3]. In July 2015, Nigeria’s Bank of Industry invested in the company to provide rural

14
communities with off-grid solar systems. The project was also supported by the United Nations

Development Program (UNDP)[4]. Later, in December 2015, the Solar Nigeria Programme, part

of the Department for International Development (DfID), granted 100,000 Pounds (US$146,000)

to expand the operations in Northern Nigeria[5].

In June 2019, Arnergy was able to raise a series A round of investments worth $9M (Nine

Million Dollars). This investment was led by Breakthrough ventures and Norfund. In December

2020, the Federal Government of Nigeria gave $9 million to provide solar energy to 20,000

micro, small and medium businesses in rural communities in the country[6].

In February 2021, it was recognized by Canada High Commissioner for their energy

optimization efforts in Nigeria. In the same year, in March, it received the Africa Brand Award

for its contribution to the development of solar energy in Nigeria[7].

Figure 1.1 Arnergy Solar Logo

1.6. ARNERGY’S MISSION

To deliver energy solutions for productive use by deploying products, services and systems that

power business operations and improve economic outcomes for our clients[10].

15
1.7. ARNERGY’S VISION

To provide sustainable solutions to energy reliability issues across emerging markets[10].

1.8. ARNERGY’S CORE VALUE SYSTEM

The core principles of ARNERGY are the organisation's essential beliefs that serve as the

foundation for its activities. By generating an unshakeable guide, these guiding principles control

behaviour and assist ARNERGY in determining if they are on the correct track and achieving

their objectives. Its ideals are so vital that they will continue to guide it regardless of changes in

society, government, politics, or technology. It also makes certain that the firm follows

worldwide best practises. It values are

I. Blaze a trail: Tackle problems head-on. Lead the way. Build unique services, products,

markets and opportunities for all

II. Live the life of Grit: Be resilient. Pursue excellence. Put in little extras. It does make a

huge difference.

III. Make Heros: provide opportunities. Collaborate. Unleash the potential in our people.

Customers and partners, within and outside the ecosystem.

IV. Think Safety First: All accidents are preventable. Follow safety procedures without

shortcuts. Be responsible for the safety of yourself and others.

V. Do more with less: Be creative and efficient with resources. Make data-driven decisions.

VI. Be Honest: Tell the truth always. Do the right thing. Keep to promises.

VII. Save the Planet: Replace fossil fuel. Reuse, recycle, dispose of sustainably.

16
1.9. OBJECTIVES OF ARNERGY.

Some of the major focus areas of Arnergy includes:

• To deliver energy solutions for productive use by deploying products, services and

systems that power business operations and improve economic outcomes for our clients

• To provide sustainable solutions to energy reliability issues across emerging markets

• To improve businesses and economic outcomes by emphasising reliable energy for

productive use and reducing OPEX costs that threaten the sustainability of our target business

clusters

• To deliver quality solutions with superior customer service and timely after-sales

technical support

• To provide market-ready technologies that are scalable and easy for customers to manage

their energy assets

• To leverage local intelligence in optimising resource requirements to ensure customer

satisfaction

• To reduce carbon emission and pollution in the regions we serve

• To reduce energy poverty from the bottom to the top of the pyramid.

• Making SMEs run profitably with flexible payment for energy services.

1.10. ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE OF ARNERGY

As seen in fig. 1.1, Arnergy Solar Ltd organogram is arranged as follows:

17
Figure 1.2. Arnergy’s Organogram

18
 CHAPTER TWO

COMPANY OPERATIONS

2.1. PRODUCTS AND SOLUTIONS OF ARNERGY

I. ARNERGY 5000: The Arnergy 5000 is a 5kW microgrid ready, commercial and

consumer pay as you go solar power and energy storage system suitable to power most

household appliances and equipment including water pumps, pressure pumps, deep

freezers, washing machines, etc. It has a 5kVA inverter, 10.8kWh battery storage and a

4.68kWp solar PV capacity. It comes with 1 inverter, 2 batteries and 12 solar panels. The

batteries are two 5.4kWh (10.8kWh) lithium ion ( LiFePO₄) batteries and the inverter is a

5kW hybrid inverter with integrated MPPT charge controller. The solar panel is a 390W

(4.68kWp) monocrystalline solar panel[10]

Figure 2.1: Arnergy 5000.

19
 Figure 2.2: Arnergy 5000

II. ARNERGY 5000X: The Arnergy 5000X is a 5kW microgrid-ready, pay-as-you-go solar

power and energy storage system for business and household use. Most domestic

appliances and equipment can be powered, including the television, sound system,

decoder, fan, refrigerator, water pump, and lights. Unlike the ARNERGY 5000, the

ARNERGY 500X comes with only one 5.4kWh (10.8kWh) lithium ion ( LiFePO₄)

battery[10].

20
 Figure 2.3: Arnergy 5000X

III. ARNERGY 10000: The Arnergy 10000 is another of Arnergy's flagship modular

products. It has a nominal output of 10kVa, with two 5kVA inverters as well as a

21.6kWh battery storage capacity enough to power several appliances for hours. The

Arnergy 10000 has a solar PV capacity of 9.36kWp[10].

21
 Figure 2.4: Arnergy 10000.

IV. ARNERGY 15000: The Arnergy 15000 is another of Arnergy’s flagship modular

products. It has a nominal output of 15kVA, with three 5kVA inverters as well as

32.4kWh battery storage capacity enough to power several appliances for long hours. The

Arnergy 15000 has a solar PV capacity of 14.04kWp[10].

22
 Figure 2.5: Arnergy 15000.

V. ARNERGY 20000: The Arnergy 20000 is another of Arnergy’s flagship modular

products. It has a nominal output of 20kVA, with four 5kVA inverters as well as 43.2kWh

battery storage capacity enough to power several appliances for longer hours. The

Arnergy 20000 has a solar PV capacity of 18.72kWp[10].

Figure 2.6: Arnergy 20000

23
VI. RURAL BASE: Arnergy provides a suite of solutions to the telecommunications

industry with the Rural Base Telephony product line-ups in different configurations based

on the client’s requirements. The rural base telephony product is distinguished by the fact

that it employs a DC-DC converter and does not require an inverter because AC voltage

is not required. It's in high demand in the telecommunications industry.

Figure 2.7: Arnergy Rural Base Telephony Product.

Figure 2.8: Arnergy Rural Telephony Product (Inside view)

24
2.2. BUSINESS DIVISIONS IN ARNERGY

Arnergy, an industry leader in solar and clean energy for small businesses, with the CEO being

Mr Femi Adeyemo, has the following business divisions made up of a team of highly competent

individuals:

❖ Finance

This department is responsible for managing the company’s cash flow, financial report

and analysis. They prepare the company budget and forecasting. In terms of cash and

availability of funds, the finance department is responsible for other departments in the

company.

❖ Environmental And Social Governance (ESG)

The ESG performance refers to the manner the company performs in relation to the

environment, people and how the entity is run to best leave a positive impact. Some of

the duties of the ESG team includes:

• Pollution prevention

• Greenhouse gas emissions control

• Climate change control

• Equal opportunities in the workplace

• Waste management of the company

• Water and resource use

• The workers/staff conditions

• Occupational health and safety

• Human rights

25
 • Whistleblowing

• Data protection

❖ Customer Experience.

This department is in charge of receiving inbound calls from clients and potential leads

for product inquiry, issue resolution and other requests. They also engage in cold calls to

support the efforts of the sales team for improved business results. They also utilise the

solarbase platform for accurate system monitoring. They also send out payment

reminders to customers and clients.

❖ Marketing Team.

This department is responsible for all the types of marketing the company does. From

content marketing, partnerships, social media marketing, PPC(Pay-Per-Click) marketing,

display marketing, influencer marketing, the marketing team is in charge of all these

forms of marketing in order to create awareness to the general public about the product of

the company.

❖ People and Culture

This department is in charge of managing the employees of the company as well as

overseeing various aspects of employment, such as compliance with the employment

standards, interviewing and welfare of employees. They are responsible for hiring,

promoting and terminating employees in the company. They also evaluate the

performance of the employees and serve as an intermediary between the management and

its employees.

❖ Manufacturing Team

26
 This department is in charge of assembling the solar systems based on the client

requirements.

❖ Supply Chain

This team is in charge of procuring the necessary equipment and tools that will be needed

by other departments. They are responsible for taking records of all goods, equipment,

tools acquired by the company. They also provide materials used by the product and

manufacturing team when assembling systems.

❖ Quality Control team

This team is in charge of ensuring that all systems produced by the manufacturing team

are working to perfection without any fault before releasing the system for deployment.

They are responsible for testing and ensuring that all systems assembled are in perfect

working condition. They also assist other teams in resolving issues with the customer

whenever the need arises.

❖ Embedded Engineering Team

This department consists of both hardware and software engineers that helps design,

develop and maintain the EMS microcontroller boards used in the systems. They are also

responsible for ensuring that all systems are online and can be accessed from anywhere in

the world.

❖ IT Infrastructure Team.

This department is responsible for all IT equipment used in the company. They are also in

charge of providing internet services all around the company. They are also responsible

for taking records of all computing systems in the company.

27
 CHAPTER THREE

MAJOR UTILITY EQUIPMENT AND TOOLS

3.1. ALPHA ESS BATTERY M48112-P

The Alpha ESS battery M48112-P is a lithium-ion smart battery. Lithium ion is preferred to

lithium phosphorus for the following reasons:

● High Energy Density: Lithium-ion batteries have the highest energy density (100-265

Wh/kg) of any rechargeable battery. This simplifies, speeds up, and extends the life of a

lithium-ion battery. Overall, this results in a more powerful battery.

● Low Maintenance: Lithium-ion batteries are simple to use and maintain, particularly

when compared to nickel-based batteries. There is no need for priming equipment, and

there is no need for planned cycling to keep their batteries alive. Lithium-ion batteries

also don't have a memory effect, which would cause batteries to lose capacity after

repeated partial discharge and charge cycles.

● Performance and Longevity: The lithium-ion chemistry is a high-performance chemistry

that is well-suited to high-power applications. When compared to nickel-based batteries,

they deliver higher current. They can deliver up to 3.6 Volts, which is three times more

than nickel-based alternatives. Lithium-ion batteries have a long shelf life due to their

modest self-discharge rate (about 1.5-2 percent each month).

● Versatility: Lithium-ion batteries are an excellent source of renewable energy in a variety

of applications. Their technique can power or store energy for portable electronic

gadgets, electric autos, aircraft, and other high-power applications.

Also lithium-ion is also much preferred to lead acid batteries for the reasons stated below

28
● Cycle life: One charge cycle is when you deplete a battery (use it to power your

appliances) and then charge it again with solar panels. We don't count years when we talk

about battery life; instead, we count how many cycles they can take before they die. A

sealed lead-acid battery in a vacation house may go through 100 cycles in four years, but

the same battery in a full-time residence may go through 300+ cycles in a year. The one

that has completed 100 cycles is in considerably better condition. The length of a cycle is

determined by the depth of discharge (how much capacity you use before recharging a

battery). Deeper discharges put the battery under additional stress, reducing its cycle life.

Generally, lithium-ion batteries have better cycle lives as to lead acid batteries

● Depth of Discharge: The amount of total capacity utilised before recharging the battery is

referred to as discharge depth. If you consume a quarter of your battery's capacity, for

example, the depth of drain is 25%. When you use a battery, it does not entirely drain.

Instead, they feature a suggested depth of discharge, which tells you how much you may

use before having to refill them. Lead-acid batteries should only be discharged to 50% of

their capacity. You risk shortening their lives if you go over that limit. Lithium batteries,

on the other hand, can withstand severe discharges of up to 80%. This just indicates that

they have a larger useful capacity.

● Charge Rate: For lithium batteries, better efficiency means a quicker rate of charging.

Because they can tolerate more current from the charger, they can be replaced

considerably faster than lead-acid batteries.

Charge rate is expressed as a fraction, such as C/5, where C is the battery's capacity in

amp hours (Ah).

So, if you charge a 430 Ah battery at C/5, you'll get 86 charging amps (430/5).

29
 The amount of charge current that lead-acid batteries can withstand is restricted, mostly

because they can overheat if charged too rapidly. Furthermore, when you near full

capacity, the charge rate slows dramatically. During the bulk phase, lead-acid batteries

may charge to roughly C/5 (up to 85 percent capacity). As a result, lead acid batteries

take longer to charge, often more than twice as long as Lithium-ion batteries.

● Efficiency: Lithium batteries are more efficient than other types of batteries. As a result,

more of your solar energy is retained and utilised. Lead-acid batteries, for example, are

only 80-85% efficient depending on the brand and condition. That implies that if you

have 1,000 watts of solar power streaming into the batteries, after the charging and

discharging process, you'll only have 800-850 watts accessible. Lithium batteries have a

high efficiency of over 95%. You'd have over 950 watts of electricity available in the

same scenario. Your batteries will charge faster if they are more efficient. It may also

mean purchasing fewer solar panels, less battery capacity, and a smaller backup

generator, depending on the architecture of your system.

The Alpha ESS battery M48112-P is a large capacity, high-compatibility battery module for

single-phase energy storage systems. Any battery with its own battery management system is

referred to as a smart battery. It's often found in smart gadgets like computers and smartphones.

A smart battery contains an inbuilt electronic circuit and sensors that can monitor voltage and

current levels, as well as other factors like health, and send them to the device and, as a result, to

the user. A smart battery can recognize its own state-of-charge and state-of-health characteristics,

which may be accessed by the device via specific data connections (CAN or RS485

communication protocol). Unlike a non-smart battery, which has no method of telling the device

or user about its condition, resulting in unpredictable behaviour, a smart battery may

30
communicate all important information to the device and user, allowing for well informed

decisions. For example, if the battery detects a low charge, it alerts the user so that the device can

be charged, or if the battery is towards the end of its life or is damaged in any way, it notifies the

user so that it can be replaced.

The key feature of the Alpha ESS battery M48112-P are

● Modular: A modular battery is a battery pack that has been designed to work in tandem

with other battery packs of the same specification. The Alpha ESS battery M48112-P can

be connected in parallel with one another. This is the form of connection in which the

battery's configuration is added up in a linear end-to-end manner (positive terminal to

positive terminal and negative terminal to negative terminal) configuration in parallel If

the aim is to raise the inverter's total ampere hour,

● Plug & play: It is the ability of the battery to adapt to hardware changes with minimal

intervention by the user.

● Safety: Compared to the lead acid battery, lithium-ion is quite safer

● Long lifespan: The lifespan of the Alpha ESS battery M48112-P is expected to be 10

years.

Figure 3.1: Alpha ESS battery M48112-P

31
 Figure 3.2: Datasheet for Alpha ESS battery M48112-P

3.2 INVERTER

One of the most significant components of a solar electric power system is the solar inverter. It

transforms a photovoltaic (PV) solar panel's changeable direct current (DC) output into

alternating 240V current (AC). This AC electricity may subsequently be used to power your

home's appliances.

32
3.2.1 VOLTRONIC AXPERT INVERTER

The Voltronic Axpert Inverter is a stand-alone inverter with many functions. Its all-in-one

multifunctional 5000W and 48V inverter that combines inverter, solar MPPT regulator and

battery charger functions to provide uninterruptible power supply in portable size. Its detachable

LCD control module can be converted into a remote panel. The MPPT solar charge controller

maximises and regulates DC power from the solar array for charging the battery bank. The

transformerless design provides reliable power conversion in compact size. Besides, it is

worry-free to start-up motor-type loads such as refrigerators, motors, pumps, compressors and

laser printers as well as electronic loads like TVs, computers, power tools and battery chargers.

Figure 3.3: Voltronic Inverter

33
The main features of the Voltronic inverter are:

● Pure sine wave inverter

● Output power factor 1 (only 0.8 for 3KP/5KP Models)

● Built-in battery equalisation function to extend battery life cycle

● Built-in MPPT solar charge controller

● Selectable input voltage range for home appliances and personal computers

● Selectable charging current based on applications

● Configurable AC/Solar input priority via LCD setting

● Compatible to mains voltage or generator power

● Battery equalisation for optimised battery performance and lifecycle

● Parallel operation with up to 9 units

● Optional remote panel available

3.2.2 DEYE INVERTER

The Deye inverter is a multipurpose inverter that combines inverter, solar charger, and battery

charger features to provide uninterruptible power supply in a small package. Its large LCD

display has user-configurable and conveniently accessible buttons for battery charging, AC/solar

charging, and suitable input voltage for various applications.

The main features of the 8kVA Deye inverter are:

● Supports Split phase 120/240Vac, Three-phase 120/208Vac system.

● Self-consumption and feed-in to the grid.

● Auto restart while AC is recovering.

● Programmable supply priority for battery or grid.

34
● Programmable multiple operation modes: On grid, off grid and UPS.

● Configurable battery charging current/voltage based on applications by LCD setting.

● Configurable AC/Solar/Generator Charger priority by LCD setting.

● Compatible with mains voltage or generator power.

● Overload/over temperature/short circuit protection.

● Smart battery charger design for optimised battery performance

● With limit function, prevent excess power overflow to the grid.

● Supporting WIFI monitoring and build-in 2 strings of MPP trackers

● Smart settable three stages MPPT charging for optimised battery performance.

● Time of use function.

● Smart Load Function.

Figure 3.4: Deye Inverter

35
Figure 3.5: Basic System Architecture for the Deye Inverter

Figure 3.6: Wiring System for the Deye Inverter

36
Figure 3.7: Single Phase Parallel Connection Diagram

37
Figure 3.6: Picture of Paralleled Deye inverter being tested

The datasheet for the Deye inverter is shown in the image below

38
Figure 3.7: Datasheet for Deye inverter

3.3 MPPT CHARGE CONTROLLER

A solar charge controller, sometimes referred to as a solar regulator, is a solar battery charger that

connects the solar panels to the battery. Its job is to regulate the charging process and ensure that

the battery is properly charged, or, more importantly, not overcharged. Solar charge controllers

39
that are DC-coupled have been utilised in practically all small-scale off-grid solar power systems

for decades.

Maximum input voltage (V) and maximum charge current (A) are used to rate solar charge

controllers (A). These two ratings govern how many solar panels may be connected to the charge

controller, as discussed in further detail below.

i. Current Amp (A) rating = Maximum charging current.

ii. Voltage (V) rating = Maximum voltage (Voc) of the solar panel/s.

PWM(Pulse Width Modulation) and MPPT(Maximum Power Point Tracker) are the two major

forms of solar charge controllers, with the latter being preferred due to better charging efficiency,

improved performance, and other benefits discussed further below.

An MPPT charge controller will continuously monitor the PV array for the maximum power

point and attempt to use this knowledge to manage both the PV array's output voltage and

current. It is basically an efficient DC to DC converter used to maximise the power output of a

solar panel. The working idea of an MPPT solar charge controller is rather straightforward: when

the amount of sunshine (irradiance) falling on a solar panel changes during the day, the panel

voltage and current fluctuate. The maximum power point tracker sweeps across the panel voltage

to identify the 'sweet spot', or the optimal combination of voltage and current to produce the

greatest power, in order to generate the most power. Regardless of the time of day or weather

conditions, the MPPT is intended to continuously track and adjust the voltage to generate the

greatest electricity. Only high-end MPPT controllers can detect partial shading or track numerous

power points. Using this clever technology, the solar panel efficiency increases and the amount

of energy generated can be up to 30% more than a PWM solar charge controller.

40
In the example below, a common 60 cell (24V) solar panel with an operating voltage of 32V

(Vmp) is connected to a 12V battery bank using both a PWM and a MPPT charge controller.

Using the PWM controller, the panel voltage must drop to match the battery voltage and so the

power output is reduced dramatically. With an MPPT charge controller, the panel can operate at

its maximum power point and in turn can generate much more power.

Figure 3.8: Comparison between MPPT and PWM

3.4 FAN

Fans are low-pressure air pumps that use a motor's power to produce a volumetric flow of air at a

specific pressure. A propeller transfers motor output into higher static pressure across the fan

rotor and more kinetic energy for the air particles.

41
There are many different types of fans, with propeller, tube axial, and vane axial being the most

prevalent. The simplest sort of fan is a propeller fan, which consists solely of a motor and a

propeller. The pressure differential across the airfoil section causes tip vortices, which is a

concern with propeller fans.

Similar to a propeller fan, a tube axial fan (the most popular form in electronic cooling systems)

features a venturi surrounding the propeller to decrease vortices. Vanes trail after the propeller in

the airflow of the vane axial fan, straightening the whirling flow formed when the air is

propelled.

Multiple fans are employed in a blue box to boost airflow in the systems. One fan pushes cold air

into an enclosure while another exhausts heated air in a series fan design. Series fans are useful

in systems with significant airflow resistance. Series fans' pressure practically doubles, while

free airflow remains the same.

Figure 3.9: Electronic cooling fan

42
3.5 IOT BASED EMS BOARD

The Internet of Things, or IoT, refers to a network of linked devices as well as the technology

that enables communication between devices and the cloud as well as between devices.

The Energy Management System (EMS) is a set of computerised instruments for monitoring,

controlling, and optimising the performance of power generating and transmission networks.

This intelligent energy management software control system is intended to minimise energy

consumption, enhance system utilisation, improve reliability, anticipate electrical system

performance, and optimise energy usage to save money.

Typically, all of our appliances consume a significant amount of energy. As a result, energy

consumption may be reduced through the use of an energy management system. The objective is

to regulate and monitor solar installations using smart technologies. The EMS boards use IoT

technologies and a microcontroller(STM32F407) to successfully manage Arnergy's solar

installations.

Figure 3.10: Arnergy’s IoT based EMS board

43
3.5.1 STM32F407

The microcontroller used in the design of the IoT based EMS board is the STM32F407. The

STM32F407 is a Arm 32-bit Cortex-M4 CPU with FPU, Adaptive real-time accelerator (ART

Accelerator) allowing 0-wait state execution from Flash memory. It has a frequency up to 168

MHz, memory protection unit, 210 DMIPS/ 1.25 DMIPS/MHz (Dhrystone 2.1), and DSP

instructions.

Its major features are

● 2x USB OTG (one with HS support)

● Audio: dedicated audio PLL and 2 full duplex I²S

● Up to 15 communication interfaces (including 6x USARTs running at up to 11.25 Mbit/s,

3x SPI running at up to 45 Mbit/s, 3x I²C, 2x CAN, SDIO)

● Analog: two 12-bit DACs, three 12-bit ADCs reaching 2.4 MSPS or 7.2 MSPS in

interleaved mode

● Up to 17 timers: 16- and 32-bit running at up to 168 MHz

● Easily expandable memory range using the flexible static memory controller supporting

Compact Flash, SRAM, PSRAM, NOR and NAND memories

● Analog true random number generator

● The STM32F417 also integrates a crypto/hash processor providing hardware acceleration

for AES 128, 192, 256, Triple DES, and hash (MD5, SHA-1)

44
3.6 SOLARBASE

Solarbase is a cloud-based website that provides infrastructure as a service (IaaS) using Amazon

Web Services (AWS). It was developed in-house by Arnergy’s software team and is used to

monitor all systems supplied to clients.

Solarbase provides an internet-based interface for monitoring the energy metrics of installed

installations. It also has the ability to turn off systems from a distance.

Figure 3.11: Solarbase

45
 CHAPTER FOUR

TECHNICAL EXPERIENCE

During my industrial training at Arnergy, I was assigned to the Engineering division of the

company compromising of:

● Product and Manufacturing

● Quality Control

● Customer Operations

● Embedded Systems Engineering

I received training in the Embedded Systems Engineering team, which was one of these

subdivisions. On my first day, I was presented to everyone on the team, including my

supervisory officers, and I was on-boarded into the team and what they do. After a while, I was

able to go on site visits with the embedded engineers to see all that I had learned and see it in

action.

4.1 EMBEDDED SYSTEM ENGINEERING

As computer technology progresses, it is incorporated in an increasing number of electrical

goods.

Because of the possibilities afforded by embedded systems, electronic equipment can have

significantly more capabilities than it could if only hardware approaches were employed.

As a result, embedded systems may be found in a wide range of electrical devices. From little

amounts of processing in electronic timers to considerably more complex embedded systems like

game consoles and even massive manufacturing and other industrial systems, embedded systems

are everywhere.

46
The name of the technology comes from the fact that the software is embedded for a certain

purpose. The embedded system is not like a PC or other computer that can run a wide range of

programs and do a wide range of functions; rather, the object that uses embedded software is

focused on a single job or application.

The device employing an embedded technology has its software preloaded to satisfy this

demand, albeit upgrades may be required from time to time.

An embedded system is a type of computer system that is primarily designed to execute a variety

of activities in various electronics-based systems, such as data access, processing, storage, and

control. Embedded systems are made up of hardware and software, with the software being

called firmware and being embedded inside the hardware. One of the most significant features of

these systems is that the output is delivered within the specified time frame. Embedded systems

assist in making tasks more precise and convenient. As a result, embedded systems are often

used in both basic and complicated products. Embedded systems are used in a variety of gadgets

in our daily lives, including microwaves, calculators, TV remote controls, home security, and

neighbourhood traffic control systems, among others.

4.1.1 EMBEDDED SYSTEM SOFTWARE

An embedded system's software is written to perform a specific task. It's usually written in a

high-level language and then compiled into code that can be stored in the hardware's non-volatile

memory. The following three constraints are supposed to be considered while developing

embedded system software.

● System memory convenience

● Processor speed convenience

47
 ● When an embedded system works continuously, power consumption for activities such as

run, stop, and wake up must be kept to a minimum.

The software that runs the microcontroller is one of the most important aspects of any embedded

device. This may be worded in a number of different ways:

● Machine code: The most fundamental code employed by the CPU unit is machine code.

The code is usually written in hexadecimal and contains the basic instructions for each

CPU action. These days, this type of programming is rarely used in embedded systems.

● Programming language: Writing machine code is time-consuming and tedious. It's

challenging to comprehend and troubleshoot. High-level programming languages are

frequently employed to solve this. C, Python, and other programming languages are

widely used.

The embedded system's code will most likely be stored on a non-volatile memory chip on the

processor board. The code is known as firmware, and the notion is that it is not updated like

software since it is stored in the embedded system and cannot be modified by the user. It is

frequently feasible to upgrade the software, although this may include swapping the memory

card on which the firmware is stored or upgrading it in another manner[12].

Additional tools are frequently used to assist in firmware development. Programs might get

intricate, thus it's important to make sure the embedded system's firmware is up to date.

4.1.2 EMBEDDED SYSTEM HARDWARE

An embedded system, like any other electronic system, requires a hardware platform to run on.

The hardware will be based around a microprocessor or microcontroller. Memory, input-output

(I/O) ports, as well as the user interface and the display, will all be part of the embedded system

48
hardware. The procedure is carried out by an embedded system on a hardware platform. A

microprocessor/microcontroller is used to build the embedded system's hardware. An embedded

system typically includes the following components[11].

● Power Supply

● Memory

● Processor

● Timers

● Output/Output circuits

● Serial communication ports

● SASC (System application specific circuits)

When using an embedded system there is a choice between the use of a microcontroller or a

microprocessor.

● Microcontrollers-based systems: A microcontroller is essentially a CPU, central

processor unit, or processor with integrated memory or peripheral devices.

Microcontroller-based embedded systems are more extensively employed since they

require less external components.

● Microprocessor-based systems: Microprocessors have a CPU, but memory and peripheral

interfaces are handled by external chips. This technique is typically used for bigger

embedded systems since it requires more devices on the board but allows for more

extension and customization of certain peripherals, etc.

It might be a fairly general purpose processor or one of the many highly specialised processors

designed for a specific application, depending on what sort of processor is utilised in the

embedded system. In certain circumstances, if the numbers are large enough, custom-designed

49
chips may be practical for a specific purpose. The digital signal processor, or DSP, is a popular

example of a standard kind of specialised processor. This sort of processor is mostly utilised to

handle audio and picture information. As they may be employed in applications such as mobile

phones and the like, rapid processing is necessary.

Figure 4.1: Embedded Systems’ Block Diagram

SENSORS (INPUT DEVICES)

A sensor is a device that detects physical changes in its environment and creates an electrical or

electronic signal in response to those changes. The vast majority of sensors provide analog

50
signals. Sensors used in embedded systems include the thermostat, light dependent resistors

(LDR), and flow switch. Many devices and circuits are employed with sensors in a realistic

embedded system to boost sensitivity, power control, noise reduction, and distortion removal.

ANALOG TO DIGITAL CONVERTER(ADC)

As far as we know, most sensors only produce analog signals. However, the CPU is unable to

read and process analog signals. An analog to digital converter converts the analog signals

provided by the sensor into digital signals that the microprocessor or microcontroller can

process.

The input of an ADC is an analog signal, and the output is a digital value that corresponds to the

analog signal. ADC uses a reference voltage, which is a known voltage against which the ADC's

internal circuitry can compare the input signal to generate the output digital value. The sampling

of input data necessitates the use of a clock.

PROCESSOR

Processors include microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors (DSPs),

application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), gate arrays, Field Programmable Gate Arrays

(FPGAs), and graphics processing units (GPUs). Any one of them can be utilised for processing.

This is also dependent on the job or operation's goal. A high-quality processor is employed if the

job assigned by the embedded system is more difficult. It's a type of computer, or computer chip,

that's found in a variety of equipment. These are miniature computers that control electrical and

mechanical processes with basic microprocessors. They don't have to conduct complicated

51
calculations or be incredibly quick, and they don't have to have a lot of input/output capability, so

they can be cheap. Embedded processors are used in vehicles, as well as big and small home

goods, to operate aeroplanes and industrial automation. The digital signal processor (DSP), for

example, has become as common as the microprocessor. Wireless phones, digital phone and

cable modems, and some stereo equipment all employ DSPs. The following are descriptions of

some of the many processors:

GENERAL PURPOSE PROCESSORS (GPP)

General-purpose processors are embedded processors that are used for applications that are not

unique to any particular application. It executes the instructions using a preset set of

general-purpose instructions. A common example of a general-purpose processor is the CPU

within the computer or laptop in your hand.

MICROPROCESSOR

For quicker and more efficient operation, the microprocessor is a single VLSI chip with the CPU

and multiple peripheral units such as caches, registers, memory, floating-point processing units,

and sophisticated processing units such as pipelining and superscalar processing.

The CPU selects a general-purpose instruction from a list, decodes it, and executes it.

Instructions for arithmetic and logic operations, data transfer activities, control operations, and

other tasks are included in the instruction set.

52
The Zilog Z80 is an 8-bit microprocessor that was the company's first product. Intel introduced

the 8085, an 8-bit microprocessor, to the market in March 1976. In the name of the 8086

processor, they expanded an 8-bit to a 16-bit CPU.

Intel, as the market leader in CPU manufacture for PCs and laptops, now has a wide range of

processors in their hands. Microchip's SAMA5D2, SAMA5D3, and SAMA5D4 microprocessors

are a 32-bit microprocessor series. Top manufacturers like as Intel, Texas Instruments, ARM,

Altera, NXP, and others have produced a larger number of processors for various sorts of

applications.

MICROCONTROLLER

A general-purpose processor, or microcontroller, is a sort of general-purpose processor. It has a

CPU, memory, registers, caches, timer units, interrupt control units, and I/O ports on an

integrated chip. A microcomputer is a system that includes a microcontroller. Because the

microprocessor contains all of the functional blocks required for its operation, it took up a

significant amount of space in the embedded system.

During the 1980s and 1990s, Intel's 8051 was the most popular microcontroller. During that time,

the 8051 controllers were used in the majority of embedded devices. Following then,

microcontrollers in the embedded industry evolved significantly thanks to several manufacturers.

PIC microcontrollers are embedded processors that are being employed in a variety of new

applications, including cell phones, audio accessories, video game peripherals, and sophisticated

medical equipment. Microchip's main PIC families are the PIC16 and PIC18.

NXP semiconductors produce ARM-based microcontrollers for automotive applications, such as

the S32K, EA microcontroller series, and MAC57Dxxx Microcontrollers. Texas Instruments'

53
ARM-based MCUs, C2000 Real-time MCUs, and MSP430 MCUs are designed for industrial

and automotive applications and include real-time control and high-precision analog integration.

DIGITAL SIGNAL PROCESSOR

Digital signal processor is a special-purpose embedded processor designed to meet the

computational and power demands of audio, video and communication applications. They are

either 8 bit / 16 bit / 32 bit microprocessors, designed for faster operation than the

general-purpose embedded processor.

Digital signal processors have seen tremendous growth in the recent decade, finding use in

everything from smart telephones to advanced scientific instruments. Modern DSP architecture

achieves high performance and low power through increased parallelism and reduces power

dissipation.

Sum of Products (SOP) calculation, convolution, Fast Fourier transform, Discrete Fourier

transform, Finite/Infinite Impulse Response (FIR/IIR), etc. are some of the operations performed

by the digital signal processors.

SYSTEM-ON-CHIP (SoC)

A system-on-chip (SoC) is a single-chip integrated circuit that contains all or most of the

components of a computer or other electronic system. It is made up of hardware parts and a

microprocessor or microcontroller that has software code that allows the hardware to work.

Microprocessors, memory, timers, interrupt controllers, i/o ports, modems, A/D and D/A

converters, and other processing units are among the hardware components. A typical SoC has

54
multiple CPU cores, a digital signal processor, a network processor, various communication

interfaces, RAM, ROM, flash memory, and other components.

NXP semiconductors manufactures system-on-chip devices such as the 88MW32X,

MC34SB0800, and QN908x. Manufacturers of SoCs include Altera, Analog Devices, Infineon,

MIPS Technologies, and Texas Instruments.

DIGITAL TO ANALOG CONVERTER (DAC)

Only digital signals can be generated by a processor. As a result, analog signal-based output

devices such as actuators, speakers, and buzzers cannot be directly interfaced with the CPU. As a

result, a digital to analog converter is necessary to transform the processor's digital signal into

analog signals that may be utilised to control analog output devices. The digital to analog

converter is not required for digital output devices like screens; instead, a driver circuit can

connect them directly to the CPU.

Analog outputs from a microcontroller are frequently required in embedded systems. Audio

tones, speech, music, smooth continuous waveforms, function generators, voltage reference

generators, and so forth are examples. Pulse Width Modulation (PWM), resistor networks, and

external Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) processors like the MCP4921 have traditionally

been used in such instances. The aforementioned solutions each have their own set of

restrictions, and they all require additional hardware interfacing, which adds complexity and cost

to projects. The term "digital to analog converter" refers to a device that converts digital data into

an analog signal. The Nyquist-Shannon sampling theorem states that any sampled data may be

correctly reconstructed using bandwidth and Nyquist criteria.

55
A DAC can precisely recreate sampled data into an analog signal. The digital data may be

generated by a microprocessor, Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), or Field

Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), but it must be converted to an analog signal before it can be

used.

MEMORY

Memory is a data storage device that contains all of the data of an embedded system, including

firm wiring, applications, software, input data variables, programs, and instructions, among other

things. Memory types utilised in embedded systems include Read-Only Memory (ROM),

Random Access Memory (RAM), Flash Memory, Cache Memory, and so on. This is also

dependent on the system's job and processor.

ACTUATOR (OUTPUT DEVICE)

When an electrical or electronic signal is applied to an actuator, it causes physical changes.

Actuators utilised in embedded systems include solenoid, stepper motor, electromagnet, and

others.

An actuator is a device that converts a control signal into mechanical action, such as the rotation

of an electric motor. Actuators can be hydraulic, pneumatic, electric, thermal, or mechanical, but

software is increasingly being used to control them. An actuator is a device that connects a

control system to its surroundings. The control signal in embedded systems originates from a

software-programmed microcontroller. Device drivers are programs that transfer data to a

peripheral device like a printer. While actuators are normally used to generate circular motion,

56
they may also be used to transform circular motion into linear motion using screws and

wheel-and-axle systems. The latter is exemplified in a rack and pinion system.

4.2 WORK COMPLETED ON MICROCONTROLLER BOARDS

During my training, I was given responsibility for the company's IoT based energy management

system microcontroller boards. I was tasked with keeping track of the boards as they passed

through the various departments. I was also given the responsibility of taking inventory of the

boards, noting which ones were defective, which ones were in good condition, and which ones

had not been tested. I was also entrusted with programming them using the embedded engineers'

already-built firmware. Before handing the boards to the manufacturing team, I was also

responsible for extensive testing of the IoT based EMS boards to ensure they responded and

behaved rightly.

Some of the tasks I carried out on the IoT based EMS boards were:

● Ensuring all LEDs were working on the boards

● Changing the flash of the boards from 512kb to 1mb using a hot air blower and solder

paste

● Bridging a resistor gap using soldering iron and lead

● Confirming visibility on solarbase

● Programming the boards with the appropriate firmware

● Flashing clients’ ID on the boards

57
4.3 SOLDERING

Soldering is a metal-to-metal joining procedure in which solder is melted and used to connect

different types of metals. Solder is a tin and lead-based metal alloy that is melted with a hot iron.

The iron is heated to above 600 degrees Fahrenheit and then cooled to form a strong electrical

connection.

Solder is melted with the help of a temperature controller and an iron. It is heated to temperatures

over its melting point, which is roughly 600 degrees Fahrenheit, causing it to melt and then cool,

forming the soldered junction.

A desoldering tool may be used to remove solder as well as create robust electrical connections.

Solder is a metal alloy that is used to form strong, long-lasting bindings, such as in circuit boards

and copper pipe joints. It's also available in two distinct kinds and sizes: lead and lead-free, with

diameters ranging from.032" to.062". The flux is a substance used to enhance and improve the

mechanical characteristics of the solder core.

Soldering filler metals used to be lead-based (lead solder), but due to restrictions, lead-based

solders are progressively being substituted by lead-free solders made of antimony, bismuth,

brass, copper, indium, tin, or silver.

When there are contaminants such as grease, dirt, or oxidation at the joint site, the flux helps

prevent oxidation and can occasionally chemically clean the metal. Rosin flux is used to improve

the mechanical strength and electrical contact of electrical junctions. It's also feasible to use a

'wetting agent' to lessen surface tension in some cases.

A soldering iron is a hand instrument that heats solder at high temperatures above the melting

point of the metal alloy, generally from an electrical source. This permits the solder to flow

freely between the portions that need to be bonded.

58
An insulated handle and a hot pointed metal iron tip make up this soldering tool. The cleanliness

of the tip of your soldering iron has an impact on the quality of your soldering. Prior to soldering

components or establishing soldered connections, a user will hold the soldering iron and wipe the

soldering iron tip with a moist sponge. Solder suckers, in addition to the soldering iron, are a

vital element of the soldering setup. If there is too much solder on the surface, these little tools

are used to scrape it off, leaving only the desired solder.

Figure 4.2: Soldering station at Arnergy

4.4 SURFACE MOUNT TECHNOLOGY AND SURFACE MOUNT

DEVICES

Surface-mount technology (SMT) is a method of mounting electrical components directly on a

printed circuit board's surface (PCB). A surface-mount device is an electrical component that is

installed in this manner (SMD). SMT has essentially supplanted the through-hole technology

59
construction technique of fitting components in industry, owing to its enhanced production

automation, which lowers costs and increases quality. It also makes it possible to put more

components onto a given area of substrate. Both technologies can be utilised on the same board,

with through-hole technology being employed for big transformers and heat-sinked power

semiconductors that aren't suited for surface mounting.

Because SMT components have smaller or no leads, they are frequently smaller than their

through-hole counterparts. It may contain a variety of short pins or leads, flat contacts, a matrix

of solder balls (BGAs), or terminations on the component's body.

A surface-mount device, often known as an SMD, is an electronic device in which the

components are installed or put directly on the PCBs’ surface.

The process for generating an SMD is known as surface-mount technology, or SMT. The

through-hole technology building method of inserting components with wire leads into holes in

the circuit board has mostly been supplanted in the industry.

For components that aren't suitable for surface mounting, such as big transformers and

heat-sinked power semiconductors, both approaches can be employed on the same board.

Because SMT components have smaller or no leads, they are frequently smaller than their

through-hole counterparts. It may contain a variety of short pins or leads, flat contacts, a matrix

of solder balls (BGAs), or terminations on the component's body.

For components that aren't suitable for surface mounting, such as big transformers and

heat-sinked power semiconductors, both approaches can be employed on the same board.

Because SMT components have smaller or no leads, they are frequently smaller than their

through-hole counterparts. It may contain a variety of short pins or leads, flat contacts, a matrix

of solder balls (BGAs), or terminations on the component's body.

60
 Figure 4.3: Hot air blower

4.5 COMMUNICATION PROTOCOLS

The numerous communication protocols were another item I learned during my stint at Arnergy.

These communication protocols are a way for hardware devices to communicate and deliver data

to microcontrollers, as well as a way for the microcontroller to comprehend data from the

hardware. Here are a few examples:

4.5.1 RS232

The RS232 Communication Protocol is one of the oldest and most widely used communication

protocols in industries and commercial items. The term "Recommended Standard 232" refers to a

form of serial communication that is often utilised for data transfer over medium distances. It

was first launched in the 1960s and has since made its way into a variety of applications such as

computer printers and factory automation systems.

RS232 is a serial communication standard that is used to link a computer and its peripheral

devices so that serial data may be sent between them. It obtains the voltage for the data

61
transmission route between the devices. It has a 1.492kbps rate and is utilised in serial

communication up to 50 feet.

4.5.1.1 RS232 Communication Applications

In older PCs, RS232 serial communication was used to connect peripheral devices such as mice,

printers, and modems. Nowadays, sophisticated USB has taken the position of RS232. Because it

is significantly less expensive, it is also used in PLC machines, CNC machines, and servo

controllers.

Some microcontroller boards, receipt printers, and point of sale systems (PoS) still utilise it.

4.5.2 UART (UNIVERSAL ASYNCHRONOUS RECEIVER TRANSMITTER).

One of the most widely used device-to-device communication protocols is UART, or universal

asynchronous receiver-transmitter. Following the normal technique, this article demonstrates

how to utilise UART as a hardware communication protocol.

UART may function with a variety of serial protocols that include sending and receiving serial

data when correctly set up. Data is sent bit by bit across a single line or cable in serial

transmission. For successful serial data transfer in two-way communication, we require two

cables. Serial communications may need fewer hardware and cables, depending on the

application and system requirements, lowering the cost of implementation.

UART is primarily used as a device-to-device hardware communication protocol in embedded

systems, microcontrollers, and computers. UART is one of the few communication technologies

that just employs two wires for transferring and receiving information.

UART stands for Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter, and it is a hardware

communication protocol that employs asynchronous serial communication at a programmable

62
speed. The output bits from the transmitting device travelling to the receiving end are

asynchronous since there is no clock signal.

The UART interface delivers data asynchronously and does not employ a clock signal to

synchronise the transmitter and receiver devices. The transmitter creates a bitstream based on its

clock signal instead of a clock signal, while the receiver samples the incoming data using its

internal clock signal. Having the same baud rate on both devices manages the point of

synchronisation. Failure to do so may impact the timeliness of data transmission and reception,

resulting in inconsistencies during data processing.

Figure 4.4: UART communication protocol

4.6 ARDOVA PROJECT

The Ardova project is one of the projects I was involved in and I oversaw the project’s lifecycle

from start to finish.

63
4.6.1 PURPOSE

The purpose of this test is to verify that the Arnergy power solution is capable of controlling

(switching on/off) a diesel generator set at a preset battery’s State of Charge (SoC). This is

required in order to eliminate downtime for our solution.

4.6.2 TEST EQUIPMENT

Table 1: List of equipment used for the test

S/N Test Equipment Manufacturer

1 Arnergy Power Solution (15kVA) Anergy Solar Limited

2 Gen. Control Module Anergy Solar Limited

3 60kVA Diesel Generator Perkins

4 RJ45 cable

4.6.3 TEST SYSTEM SETUP/CONFIGURATION

The following steps were carried out to ensure proper testing of the system:

● The Gen. control module was connected to the dry contact port of the EMS board using

rj45 cable.

● A connecting wire was connected to the ground terminal of the generator’s battery.

Another connecting wire was connected to the remote start terminal of the generator’s

control module (Mantrac cat module). The two wires were connected to the terminal

64
 block provided on the Arnergy’s generator control module in no particular order

(unpolarised).

● The generator’s controller was set to operate in auto mode.

● The EMS board was reprogrammed with the new firmware then powered up to

commence the pilot test.

4.6.4 BLOCK DIAGRAM

Figure 4.5: Block Diagram for the Ardova Project.

4.6.5 TEST NOTES

The following were the observations and the behaviour of the system:

● For the first 3 days from 02/11/2021 to 04/11/2021, the threshold used were:

Gen start SOC: 20%

Gen stop SOC: 96%

● On Friday 05/11/2021 and Saturday 06/11/2021, the threshold used were:

Gen start SOC: 20%

65
 Gen stop SOC: 60%

● On Sunday 07/11/2021 and Monday 08/11/2021, an OTA was sent to the system to carry

out some other functionality of the firmware which extended the running time of the

generator.

4.6.6 RESULT

The daily time and duration for running the generator set during the 10 days test period are as

shown in the table below.

POC start: Tuesday, 02/11/2021

POC end: Thursday, 11/11/2021

4.6.7 CONCLUSION

It took the generator roughly 2.5 hours to charge the battery from 20% to 60% and 4 hours to

charge it from 20% to 96%. For the 10 days of the pilot test, there was no downtime at the site.

According to the generator operator, this generator consumes 10 litres of diesel in 1 hr. Hence,

roughly 200 litres of diesel was assumed to have been used during the 10 days of the pilot test.

66
Figure 4.6: Generator used for Ardova pilot test

67
 CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1 SUMMARY

I was able to make the most of the chance provided to me by my school and Arnergy Solar ltd. to

learn about engineering in practice. During the training, I was also able to gain technical skills in

general engineering as well as those specific to embedded systems, soft skills such as the ability

to talk and present in front of big groups of people, and some basic software. I was also able to

develop interpersonal skills with the other interns and corporate employees.

I was welcomed into the organisation with a week-long onboarding session during which I had

the opportunity to meet with Mr Femi Adeyemo, the CEO of Arnergy. I was able to grasp the

company's objective and vision as a result of this discussion. Mr Femi Adeyemo talked about his

motives, problems, and how he overcame them in order to create and operate the business.

I was exposed to soldering and given various soldering chores during the first month of my

internship. I also learned about the lithium-ion battery that was utilised, communication

protocols, and printed circuit board creation (PCB).

During my internship, I was assigned to work with the manufacturing team in order to obtain a

better understanding of the product and how the entire facility functions. I was in charge of

coupling control boxes, putting together blue boxes, and preparing cables for terminations.

I worked on IoT-based EMS boards for the most of my six-month internship with the embedded

team. I assisted with the preparation of these boards by upgrading the flash memory from 512kb

to 1Mb, flashing the appropriate firmware, as well as flashing the associated customer ID, and

testing its functionality with an onsite set-up test system.

68
I had the opportunity to be involved on a project called Ardova at Warewa. The Ardova project is

all about utilising an IoT-based EMS board to autonomously start and stop a generator when the

battery reaches a specified level of charge.

Finally, I took various courses on the Udemy site, including microcontroller embedded C

programming, Amazon web services introduction, and AWS IoT. Overall, I was able to learn a

great deal about embedded systems.

5.2 RELEVANCE OF EXPERIENCE TO COURSE OF STUDY

My industrial training provided me with the chance to connect my practical and hands-on

experience with the academic information I had gained thus far in my undergraduate

electrical/electronic engineering study. The information I obtained during my studies had a

significant impact on how well I adjusted to my work environment and how much I was able to

contribute. Many of the courses I took as part of my university degree were directly related to my

employment and aided my understanding of the many procedures at the firm. The following are

the courses I took and how they related to the job I did during my internship:

● EEE 203 – Fundamental of Electrical Engineering I, EEG 204- Fundamental of

Electrical Engineering II: This course taught me about circuit parameters, the

fundamental theory of electric circuit elements, and network theorems, which I was able

to utilise at Arnergy's embedded section.

● EEE305- Computational structures I, EEE306- Computational structures II: I was

able to apply what I learned in this course on basic computer processes to the

microcontroller I worked with. It improved my knowledge of memory and CPU

functions.

69
 ● CSC201- Computer programming, EEE206- Introduction to computer packages:

This course's understanding of programming languages made studying embedded C

much easier for me.

● EEE308- Digital circuit analysis and design: It offered me a better knowledge of the

digital aspect of embedded systems. Easily, I was able to relate it.

● EEE401- Group design: I was able to grasp microcontrollers on a larger scale because

of prior study done for my group design project.

5.3 CONCLUSION

My six-month SIWES training with Arnergy was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It gave me a

thorough grasp of embedded systems and the fundamentals.

My training included learning about embedded systems ideas through one-on-one classes with

engineers, as well as a variety of publications, including a full Embedded-C course and Udemy's

AWS courses. I also got the chance to visit client sites in the state with some senior engineers to

observe some of the ideas I had learned in operation. My internship has become a significant part

of my life, and the practical experience obtained will be extremely beneficial to me in my future

profession.

The practical information I obtained over my four years of studying Electrical and Electronics

Engineering considerably supplemented my academic understanding.

70
5.4 RECOMMENDATION

Interning at Arnergy is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that should not be squandered. Working

in a business setting also aids in the development of new perspectives on the abilities needed to

succeed in the job. However, I feel that some parts may be somewhat modified in order to

provide a better experience for future interns; some of my suggestions are as follows:

● Universities should provide and teach core software used by engineers in the industry to

help students integrate into their varied jobs, with a particular emphasis on the

experiential opportunity that SIWES provides. Anything else should be regarded as a

bonus and should never take precedence over a good experience.

● The department, in collaboration with the ITF, should assist students in obtaining

internships in companies related to their studies.

● Institutional supervisors should make visits to pupils to track their training progress.

71
 REFERENCES

1. Idris, Abubakar (21 August 2016). "Africa taking giant strides to fix its electricity

challenges". TechCabal.

2. Rathi, Akshat (28 August 2019). "Bill Gates-led $1 billion fund expands its portfolio

of startups fighting climate change". Quartz.

3. Eleanya, Frank (27 June 2019). "How Arnergy's tech powered solution could dent

Nigeria's energy poverty". Business Day (Nigeria).

4. Mbele, Lerato (16 August 2019). "Could solar power end Nigeria's power cuts?".

BBC News.

5. Anaesoronye, Modestus (27 April 2021). "Nigeria's Arnergy makes Bill Gates top list

of global renewable energy drivers". Business Day (Nigeria).

6. Akinpelu, Oluwadamilare (25 June 2019). "Nigerian Energy Startup Arnergy Seals

$9m Funding, to Power 35,000 Businesses by 2023". TechNext.

7. "Femi Adeyemo, CEO, Arnergy: Interview". Oxford Business Group. 8 November

2017.

8. SIWES Beginner (https://siwesbeginner.com/siwes-introduction/)

9. NOU

(https://nou.edu.ng/directorates/students-industrial-work-experience-scheme-siwes)

10. Arnergy (https://arnergy.com/)

11. https://www.electronics-notes.com/articles/digital-embedded-processing/embedded-s

ystems/basics-primer.php

12. https://www.elprocus.com/basics-of-embedded-system-and-applications/

72